Film-rewinding machine



S. S. HOLT. mm REWlNDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEZB, 19 19.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920,

UNITED STATES rprral a'r orrlce.

STEPHEN S. HOLT,.0F SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN.

FILM-REWINDING MACH NE.

It is well known to those versed in the art that a film in the common moving picture machine is usally led from a spool or reel above the machine-to a similar reel below the machine, the leading end of the film being connected to the hub" of the lowermost reel after being passed through the machine and uponwhich the film is.

wound after having been exposed and as it passes through the" machine. By this process it is evidentthat the leading or starting end of the film will be at the'c'enter of the reel instead of at its peripheral edge which necessitates the film being rewound before it can be again successfully used in a moving picture machine, and it is the prin cipal object of my present invention to provide a simple and positive device for performing this rewinding of such films.

While the embodiment here illustrated is shown as applied particularly to moving picture machine films, it is evident it may be successfully used for the rewinding or windingof other similar rolls of material.

Further objects and advantages of the peculiar construction will appear as the description of the invention proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this application and in which like reference characters indicate like parts;

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of one.

of the improved machines, and

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of same. I

1 represents a suitable supporting frame preferably of rectangular form and composed of metal angle bars, the base of which forms a suitable support for an electric motor indicated at 2, and the intermediate horizontal bars 3 which form a suitable support for the winding and controlling mechanism. Adjacent the two ends of the bars 3 and transversely thereof, are j ournaled two shafts 4 and 5, the shaft 4 being the one Application filed June26, 1919. Serial No. 306,935.

I Specification of Lettersratent. Patented Dec, 1920,

upon which the film carrying reel indicated at 6 is placed and the shaft 5 being the one on which the empty reel indicated at 7 is placed for receiving the unwound film from the reel 6 as the machine progresses in its operation. This latter'is performed by the motor 2, transmitting power through the endless belt 8 to a'shea've 9 keyed upon the shaft "10 suitably journaled longitudinally of the intermediate bars 3. This shaft carries fixed to the-end thereof, adjacent the shaft 5, a fiat friction disk 11 which frictionally engages a similar though smaller disk 12, which is keyed upon the shaft '5 and by which the-latter is driven. The disk 11 is held at all times tightly against the disk 12 by means of the expansive spiral spring 13 encircling the shaft 10 on the opposite side of the sheave 9 to that of the-disk 11. A third shaft 14 is mounted transverse and within the intermediate members 30f the frame and carries upon its outer end on the same side of the frame as the projecting ends ofthe shafts 4 and 5,21 depending arm 15, carrying upon its extreme end the Hat spool 16 which is designed to rest upon the film as it passes from one reel to the other asi'ndicated in dotted lines Fig. I. The arm '15 1s keyed to the shaft 14 and the latter has fixed thereto within the frame a block 1 7 carrying an arm 18, which at its extreme free end has attached a rod 19 connected with the arm 20 of a common knife-blade switch indicated at 21. By this attachment When the spool 16 is in its elevated position .as shown in dotted lines, the knife-blade switch will 'be closed and when the spool is in a position shown in full lines, which position it assumes by gravity when not held up by the film, the knife-blade switch will be open and the opening and closing of the switch controls the operation of the motor 2 V in the usual manner.

I have shown a brake shoe 22 resting upon a suitable flat pulley'23, fixed to the shaft 6 4. This shoe is held in positionlby means of the strap 24 being pivotally attached at 25 and governed at its free end by the upstanding screw-threaded rod 26 which'carries the expansive spring 27 intermediate of its upperfree end and the free end of ''he strap 24 while a suitable thumb-screw indithe strap 24, which indirectly effects the pressure of the shoe 22, may be adjusted a is obvious. v r.

' At the opposite endof the frame 1, is pivotally mounted, as at 30, a control lever 31, extending upwardly to a point above the top of the frame and passing adjacent the hub of the friction disk 12. This control lever 31 is pivotally attached to the hub of said disk as at 32, and by which connection the disk 12 may be slid back and forth on the-face of the disk 11, thus governing the relative speed of the two disks and their shafts, the operation of which is :Well known. The upper end of the control lever 31,:is held in any desired fixed position longitudinally the shaft 5 by means of a suitable thumb-screw and bolt indicated at 33 and cooperatively enga ed within the slot 34 inthe upstanding ang e 35,

When a reel carrying a film is placed on the shaft 4, an empty reel is placed on the end of the shafte5- with the end of the film the distance intermediate of the reels. The

applied thereto, when the machine is started by the spool 16 being raised and allowed to rest upon that portion of the film spanning machine may be thus left running and given no further attention until desired as it will stop automaticall by the spool falling when the end of the m is reached as above described.

I The tension of the film may be governed bythe pressure ofthe brake shoe 22 on the Q fiat pulley 23 and the speed'of the winding shaft 5 may be governed by the adjustment of thefriction disk 12 as above describe-"l the advantage of all of whichwill be readily understood by those skilledinthe' art.

Vtially as described;

Various modificationsin the construction here shown and within the scope of th'e;

claim may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of the invention.

v Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Let-- ters Patent, is: V

-A film rewinding device comprising in combination, an upright rectangularly shaped supporting frame, a reel carrying a supply shaft journaled in and transverse one end of the frame, said shaft having in cooperative relation therewith a spring con counter shaft, an electric circu t for they motor, an adjustable" transmission connecting the counter shaft with the take up shaft,

and a control shaft journaled transverse the frame and beneath the counter shaft said control shaft carrying means cooperatively engageable with the film being rewound and means automatically controlling the electric circuit to the motor, substan In testimony whereof I- have'hhe'reunto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses; V 7 I V I STEPHEN s. HOLT.

I Witnesses:

-D. E. RoBnR'rs,

Mrs. F..KErHARr. 

